Restart, Reset
by Unparagoned
Summary: "Tris. I love you." he informs me. I can't help but roll my eyes. How do you hit someone you love? - Excerpt from Restart, Reset


His eyes darted from his hand to me cowering on the ground. His mouth opened, a horrified expression twisting his face.

"Tris, I-"

"You were drunk again." I interrupted, holding my red cheek, the place where he had smacked me.

"Tris.. I'm so sorr-"

"Just like last time, right?" I ask, though its not really a question.

_"If a man hits you, leave him.."_

My mom's words echo in my mind and tears start in my eyes. Tobias' hand juts out, pushing a lock of hair out of my face.

I push it away, and anger crosses his face, before its quickly replaced by concern.

"Tris. I love you." he informs me.

I can't help but roll my eyes.

_How do you hit someone I love?_

"I'm going to go upstairs for a while." I murmur, mustering up the most loving expression I can.

He opens his mouth to answer and I cut him off.

"alone. I need to think." I finish.

Something like fear crosses his face. "O-okay. I'll make dinner?"

I nod and start up the stairs, locking the door behind me.

I only have a few minutes.

I start to push as much clothing items as I can into my luggage. I stop on a gold necklace, a gift from Tobias a few years ago, when things were different.

I blink away the tears. I can cry at Christina's house.

I slip the necklace in the bag. That's when I hear the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Tris?"

I swear and start to zip up my luggage.

He tries to open the door, and discovers that its locked.

"Tris? Open this door!"

I ignore his angry voice and push open the window.

"Damn you Tris, open this!" he snaps, and I can tell he's about to have another rage-attack, or what he calls his drunk-stupor.

I push the luggage out the window and look at the door desperately.

_Don't come in, don't come in.._

He shoots the door open, but its too late. I'm already slipping out of the window, and out of his grasp forever.

"Fuck, Tris when I catch you, your going to be sorry," he yells the words, and I manage to flash my middle finger at him as I run through the night.

..

Its nighttime, and Christina still won't answer my phone. To top it off, its raining.

I reach into my luggage, looking for my umbrella.

The only umbrella is the one that I got Tobias' and mine's pictures engraved on.

Great.

Fear, desperation, all of the emotions I feel as a woman alone on a dark street alone overwhelm me.

But I still won't go back.

"_Dearie, are you alright?"_

I jump, managing a shaky smile as I look down at the little old lady.

"Yes. I'm just.. Waiting for a friend." I murmur.

She nods, an understanding expression crossing her wrinkly face. I notice she's soaking wet and shivering almost immediately. Her blue eyes dart to my umbrella and away just as quickly.

My abnegation instincts kick in, and I immediately hand my umbrella over to her and reach pull of my jacket and hand it to her.

The woman looks surprised, and a bit pleased.

"Are you sure, sweetheart?" she asks.

I nod without hesitating. "I probably have another umbrella in here." I lie, patting the red suit case reassuringly. She smiles back, her green eyes filled with amusement.

_Wait, green eyes?_

The old lady is changing before my eyes, as is the weather. I gasp as her leg lengthen to height far beyond mine and her hair turns a fiery red shade. Her skin darkens into a beautiful chocolate color far darker then mine or Christina's.

She examines me closely and shuts her eyes.

"For your kindness," she murmurs. "I will grant you your one desire."

I open my mouth to tell her of my one desire then shut it as she continues.

"Your one desire.. Is to be reunited with your true love?" she asks.

I flush scarlet and nod once.

She smiles sadly. "Unfortunately, there is only one way to do this. I will send you back in time, to a time before your relationship was bitter, filled with cracks to hard for either of you to fill. I will send you back before Marcus Eaton's execution."

My eyes widen as she states where she will be sending me. "But, how am I going to-"

She hold up one hand to quiet me, and hands me three pearl like objects.

"You'll have three wishes, only three. Whenever you desire help, or need guidance, eat them."

"Eat them?" I echo.

She nods once. "Yes. Eat them. Now are you ready?" she asks.

"No actually-"

"Okay, here we go!"

She points one finger at me and murmurs an incantation that makes my head spin, and then I'm spinning around, flying higher then I ever have. Then I hit something hard, and everything goes black.


End file.
